Harvard closing for rest of semester

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue isn't that the students won't be able to make it happen. The issue is that there will be economic loss to them for doing so (stuff they would have saved, and/or longer storage prices, etc), not even getting to the fact that they already paid for living expenses through May.

Compare that to possible alternatives, such as a temporary shift to online that allows students to return in a month. Or gave them until the end of spring break to move out. There was NO need to force move-out this weekend.

How do you know that exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Force move-out of dorms by Sunday, that is insane, in light of the circumstances (or lack thereof). There is no reason not to allow more time, like by the end of spring break.

Dear Harvard: just because you are among the first colleges to do this doesn't make it an example of leadership.

You can't figure out how to move out by Sunday?

Kids have more stuff then they used to and decorated dorms.

It's Wednesday, go to Home Depot at your home, get some boxes, rent a van and drive to Mass.

It's not that complicated.

When you are 2000 miles from Boston, you are not driving to Mass. That is the point. Large numbers of students do not live in driving distance.

Kid catches a flight home. Kid stacks his "stuff" outside by dumpster. Locals will recycle. I'm sure locals have already started driving around the dorms.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not a parent of a Harvard student, but...

Not all students have useless stuff or mere extras they can just toss out. You're ridiculous. And wasteful.

My DC's dorm room has DC's clothing (which we'd have to replace if it were all tossed; it's all that fits right now), books (still needed for this semester even if classes go virtual), parts of class projects that are under way. Do you think students all have, what?, skis and cases of beer and gaming systems filling dorm rooms? "Kid catches a flight home" and dumps books needed for class and and almost every stitch of clothes, coat, shoes? What world do you live in that you assume all college students' families live lives of wasteful luxury?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One kid tweeting got literally dozens of offers of accommodation. Obviously not going to take a stranger up in it but I’m certain nearby alums would pitch in to help the VERY SMALL fraction of students who are t able to go home (or take the school up in the offer to stay in campus.)

God, some of you really dumb and self absorbed. My son's college as 7,000 international students. It's not the only college, and the median income is under $40k. I'm sure they can all afford to take on extra people.

[Anonymous]

I would throw an absolute fit over tuition. If you are basically doing college on you tube it should not be 60k!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:God you people are entitled and in a world completely your own. This is a serious educational, financial and social disruption that will compound stress and mental health. Even the students of means are going to end up depressed and listless; those without means are going to end up depressed, listless, lonely, hungry, and unsafe.

There had to have been a much better way, and it would have included some notice. I’m horrified.

Please tell me this is sarcasm ... because at this point I'm not even sure.

Not sarcastic in the least. You’re talking about buying books on minimalism, like poor kids can Marie Kondo themselves out of this disruption. Some of these kids pay their own way, can’t afford to put stuff out on the street, don’t have access to air bnb, can’t buy a random plane ticket, live overseas in war zones.

I live in a college town and we have a homeless shelter in town. Every college town has resources for youth. Females struggling will get assistance over males.
The college student should stop by the local government department and sign up for food stamps etc.

So you’d be OK if your residence kicked you out and instructed you to go live at a homeless shelter?

Have you never been to a homeless shelter? Ours houses honorable working people. Ours also houses those needing 6 months of cancer treatment at the local hospital
when they live far away. Our homeless shelter has folks working at Walmart, and working at all of the restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is done every May at moveout time:
stack the bike, the frig, the microwave, the couch, the lazyboy, the surplus clothes near the dumpster.

Or if you can, drive them over to Goodwill in town.

Buy 2 $10 duffles at K mart. STuff your clothes in them.
Buy a plane ticket.

You are effectively moved out.

Have you moved your kid out of a dorm recently? Did you put more than two duffles in the car?

Yes. We had 2 full size luggages packed, books, laptop, pens pencils in backpack.

the fan, microwave, fridge and TV went to a local friend's house for the summer

the pictures etc got scrapped.

The rooms are small.

[Anonymous]

When my kid was at William and Mary, they had about a couple of hours notice to get out of the dorms due to an approaching hurricane.

Check and see whether your kid filled in a personal emergency evacuation plan at the start of their freshman year. If they were over 18 you may not have seen what they wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue isn't that the students won't be able to make it happen. The issue is that there will be economic loss to them for doing so (stuff they would have saved, and/or longer storage prices, etc), not even getting to the fact that they already paid for living expenses through May.

Compare that to possible alternatives, such as a temporary shift to online that allows students to return in a month. Or gave them until the end of spring break to move out. There was NO need to force move-out this weekend.

How do you know that exactly?

What makes you think the following weekend will be too late?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God you people are entitled and in a world completely your own. This is a serious educational, financial and social disruption that will compound stress and mental health. Even the students of means are going to end up depressed and listless; those without means are going to end up depressed, listless, lonely, hungry, and unsafe.

There had to have been a much better way, and it would have included some notice. I’m horrified.

Please tell me this is sarcasm ... because at this point I'm not even sure.

Agree with PP. If Harvard kids can't adapt they are in for a rude shock when they graduate. Life is about change and turning on a dime.

This is just straight up ignorant. Some students come from abusive households they can’t return to. Some don’t have parents that can support them returning home. Some live too far to travel on short notice. Some students are aged-out former foster care kids who literally have no where to go. Some are from countries that are not safe to return to (including those currently being affected by coronavirus.) Some are too poor to travel on short notice.

My boyfriend employs young people. In a college town there is always a couch you can couch surf on. Young peoples accomodations tend to be fluid in college towns. The kids
left behind will be eligble for food stamps and welfare. (Since service jobs will dwindle)

Because when coronavirus does hit, a bunch of squatting in random houses or at homeless shelters across the area, is NOT at all like a dorm and makes it so much safer for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One kid tweeting got literally dozens of offers of accommodation. Obviously not going to take a stranger up in it but I’m certain nearby alums would pitch in to help the VERY SMALL fraction of students who are t able to go home (or take the school up in the offer to stay in campus.)

God, some of you really dumb and self absorbed. My son's college as 7,000 international students. It's not the only college, and the median income is under $40k. I'm sure they can all afford to take on extra people.

We are not talking about your son's college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue isn't that the students won't be able to make it happen. The issue is that there will be economic loss to them for doing so (stuff they would have saved, and/or longer storage prices, etc), not even getting to the fact that they already paid for living expenses through May.

Compare that to possible alternatives, such as a temporary shift to online that allows students to return in a month. Or gave them until the end of spring break to move out. There was NO need to force move-out this weekend.

How do you know that exactly?

What makes you think the following weekend will be too late?

The nature of epidemics. Heard of exponential growth? Have you been following anything going on in international news?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Force move-out of dorms by Sunday, that is insane, in light of the circumstances (or lack thereof). There is no reason not to allow more time, like by the end of spring break.

Dear Harvard: just because you are among the first colleges to do this doesn't make it an example of leadership.

You can't figure out how to move out by Sunday?

Kids have more stuff then they used to and decorated dorms.

It's Wednesday, go to Home Depot at your home, get some boxes, rent a van and drive to Mass.

It's not that complicated.

When you are 2000 miles from Boston, you are not driving to Mass. That is the point. Large numbers of students do not live in driving distance.

Kid catches a flight home. Kid stacks his "stuff" outside by dumpster. Locals will recycle. I'm sure locals have already started driving around the dorms.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not a parent of a Harvard student, but...

Not all students have useless stuff or mere extras they can just toss out. You're ridiculous. And wasteful.

My DC's dorm room has DC's clothing (which we'd have to replace if it were all tossed; it's all that fits right now), books (still needed for this semester even if classes go virtual), parts of class projects that are under way. Do you think students all have, what?, skis and cases of beer and gaming systems filling dorm rooms? "Kid catches a flight home" and dumps books needed for class and and almost every stitch of clothes, coat, shoes? What world do you live in that you assume all college students' families live lives of wasteful luxury?

Drive around any college dorm at May moveout time and yes, that is what you will see. Generally it is kids that don't live within a several hour drive that ditch things.
Cost to rent Uhauls goes up at college moveout time. Cost to ship if you live across the country is exorbitant. For kids that live across the country it is cheaper ditch and buy local.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One kid tweeting got literally dozens of offers of accommodation. Obviously not going to take a stranger up in it but I’m certain nearby alums would pitch in to help the VERY SMALL fraction of students who are t able to go home (or take the school up in the offer to stay in campus.)

God, some of you really dumb and self absorbed. My son's college as 7,000 international students. It's not the only college, and the median income is under $40k. I'm sure they can all afford to take on extra people.

But this thread is about Harvard, where the percent of students not able to go home is small and where explicit arrangements are being made in addition to offers from the community. If your child’s school closes hopefully they will also be flexible with students in a difficult position. However, I think it’s crazy to be focused on this as some grave injustice given the freight train of covid barreling toward us. There will be lots more injustice in 11 days when icu beds start getting rationed so maybe keep your powder dry.

[Anonymous]

Harvard's sudden move will end up throwing college students across the country into a panic as all top colleges will feel pressured to follow suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Force move-out of dorms by Sunday, that is insane, in light of the circumstances (or lack thereof). There is no reason not to allow more time, like by the end of spring break.

Dear Harvard: just because you are among the first colleges to do this doesn't make it an example of leadership.

You can't figure out how to move out by Sunday?

Kids have more stuff then they used to and decorated dorms.

It's Wednesday, go to Home Depot at your home, get some boxes, rent a van and drive to Mass.

It's not that complicated.

When you are 2000 miles from Boston, you are not driving to Mass. That is the point. Large numbers of students do not live in driving distance.

Kid catches a flight home. Kid stacks his "stuff" outside by dumpster. Locals will recycle. I'm sure locals have already started driving around the dorms.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not a parent of a Harvard student, but...

Not all students have useless stuff or mere extras they can just toss out. You're ridiculous. And wasteful.

My DC's dorm room has DC's clothing (which we'd have to replace if it were all tossed; it's all that fits right now), books (still needed for this semester even if classes go virtual), parts of class projects that are under way. Do you think students all have, what?, skis and cases of beer and gaming systems filling dorm rooms? "Kid catches a flight home" and dumps books needed for class and and almost every stitch of clothes, coat, shoes? What world do you live in that you assume all college students' families live lives of wasteful luxury?

Nobody said dump the clothes... but he does not need the decorations from the room. 2 suitcases and 1 backpack should be fine.